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Today we are looking at the American Southwest’s worst megadrought for over 1,000 years, reforms at Bureau of Indian Affairs, and a probe into a visible methane cloud from space.
Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk were the Hill’s editors. Send us tips to [email protected] or [email protected] Follow us on Twitter @RachelFrazin @BudrykZack.
Lets jump in.
Megadrought worst for 1,200 years: study
A new study shows that the Southwest region of North America has been suffering from extreme weather conditions for 22 years. This has made it the “driest megadrought” region since 800.
The megadrought continues to outstrip the record-holder, a late-16th-century dry spell, previously considered the worst drought in the last 1,200 years. According to the study published Monday by Nature Climate Change.
What they are saying:The majority of the megadrought, defined as a drought lasting more than two decades, was attributed to human-induced climate changes.
Park Williams, a UCLA geographer and lead author, stated that the past 22 years without climate change would have been the driest in 300 years.
It wouldn’t be comparable to the megadroughts that hit the 1500s and 1200s, he said.
The scientists looked at the area from southern Montana up to northern Mexico, the Pacific Ocean to Rocky Mountains and found repeat megadrought periods between 800 and 1600 that were greater than any subsequent event throughout the 1900s.
How did they get to this conclusion?The authors used tree ring patterns to identify droughts that were particularly severe. They also compared historical climate data with their results. They concluded that such dry conditions were associated to high levels of soil water deficit, which is a measure that compares soil moisture to normal saturation levels.
Scientists found that the average soil moisture deficit since 2000 was twice as severe than the deficit in any 20th century drought, surpassing the driest periods in all the severe megadroughts over the past 1,200 year.
According to the study, soil moisture plays a crucial role in drought impacts on runoff levels, streamflow and agricultural productivity, as well as ecosystem health, wildlife activity and ecosystem health.
You can read more about Sharon Usadin from The Hills here.
Feds unveil Native American detention reforms
Monday’s announcement by the Bureau of Indian Affairs was a continuation of a series of reforms to the Bureau’s correctional program, which came after a period of four years that saw 16 deaths among its inmates.
The Bureaus Office of Justice Services (OJS), which announced reforms, has the ability to position the bureaus Internal Affairs inspectors in areas that allow for quicker responses. It also provides monthly briefings to OJS director on investigations into in-custody cases. It would also update any existing law enforcement or detention handbooks to reflect current policies.
Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said in a statement that they will not shy away acknowledge the past and take responsibility for the path to improving conditions in our facilities. As we move towards organizational culture changes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is rewriting its history with today’s announcements.
This is the story so farInterior Secretary Deb HaalandThe first Native American Cabinet secretary has announced several initiatives to improve tribal relations and address historical wrongs. Last September, she announced that she would be working with tribal leaders to investigate the legacy of federal board schools where generations of Indigenous kids were forced to renounce their language, culture, and hairstyles.
The initiatives come amid controversy following the announcement last week of Darren Cruzan, former assistant director at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, being hired as a private contractor for the review of in-custody death cases. Cruzan would be responsible for investigating a number death that occurred during his tenure as an assistant director of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. According to an NPR Investigation.
You can read more about the announcement here.
OFFICIALS CHECK SPACE FOR METHANE PLUME
Officials in Louisiana are investigating the cause for a methane cloud large that was detected on satellite imagery. Bloomberg reports.
On Jan. 21, a plume of gas with the highest concentration of powerful greenhouse gas detected by satellite in the U.S. was detected.
Bloomberg notes that if the release had been delayed for an hour, it would have caused the same short-term negative effects as the annual emissions of more than 1,900 cars.
Louisiana’s Department of Natural Resources now investigates what may have caused the plume. It is believed that it originated near three gas pipelines owned or operated by Kinder Morgan Inc., Energy Transfer LP, and Boardwalk Pipelines LP. None of the companies have claimed responsibility.
According to U.S. The Pipeline Safety Administration and the Hazardous Materials Safety Agency did not report any gas releases in the region.
In November, the Biden administration announced a series actions to combat methane. This is the main contributor to 10 percent of climate change in the United States.
Learn more about the probe.
TOMORROW’S TAP
- The House Natural Resources Committee will host a HearingInformation about environmental justice legislation
- The Energy and Commerce Committee will host a Hearing“Restoring Brownfield Sites to Economic Engines”
- The House Climate Crisis Committee will host a HearingGrid reliability and resilience
WHAT WAS READING
- DOE plans to convert fossil fuel waste into rare materials that can be used in tech componentsCNN)
- Texas Prisons Without Air Conditioning are getting hotterThe Intercept)
- There is an invisible ecosystem in air, and climate change is disrupting that.Grist)
- Virginia’s Fight Over Wheeler nomination expands (The Associated Press)
- Formaldehyde is a known risk factor for memory and thinking problems that can be increased by 17 percent.The Washington Post)
Finally, here’s something completely off-beat. It’s all in the eyes
This is it for today. Thanks for reading. Check out The HillsEnergy & Environment pageStay up-to-date with the latest news and coverage We look forward to seeing you Tuesday.